Juan J. Hernandez

A native of Veracruz, Mexico, Juan Hernandez started riding in his native country and elsewhere in Latin America before moving to the U.S. in 2009. He built a successful career riding in northern California over the next decade, winning his first graded stakes in 2010 aboard Cigar Man in the Grade 3 All American Stakes at Golden Gate Fields.

Hernandez nearly scored an upset win in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile aboard Anneau d’Or in 2019 and won his first Grade 1 on Mucho Unusual in the 2020 Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita Park. He won the Golden Gate Fields riding title for its spring 2020 meet and also finished seventh in wins among North American riders for that year.

Hernandez moved his tack to the Southern California tracks in late 2020 and his success continued there with horses such as 2021 San Diego Handicap winner Express Train and 2021 Gamely Stakes winner Maxim Rate.